U-T San Diego, Cox ink deal on digital channel

On the air

U-T TV will offer a mix of news, entertainment and lifestyle programming, and its lineup includes:

•“Scott, B.R.+ Amber”

Airs on utsandiego.com this week from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Beginning June 18, the show moves to the 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. slot Monday through Friday.

•“San Diego Centric”

The entertainment/lifestyle show hosted by Chris Cantore and Michelle Guerin will run from 11 a.m. to noon and 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday (Coming by end of the month)

•News

There will be news programming from noon to 3 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a different host for each three-hour block

U-T San Diego announced Friday that it has reached a deal with Cox Communications, the county’s leading cable provider, to broadcast original programming from its U-T TV station on Channel 114.

Programs on the cable channel will go live in mid-July, but U-T TV is already livestreaming some of its shows online at UTSanDiego.com.

Under the five-year agreement, U-T TV will be available on basic digital cable at no extra charge to subscribers. It will offer a mix of news, talk, entertainment and lifestyle programming. Also Friday, U-T San Diego announced that conservative talk radio host Roger Hedgecock, a former mayor of San Diego, will headline one of the shows.

“This is more than just a transmission deal. This is a true partnership with Cox, one of our largest advertisers,” said John T. Lynch, U-T San Diego’s chief executive officer. “We’re going to get together and do some great things. I think it’s going to be a fantastic success.”

Cox Communications provides service to about two-thirds of the local market, said Dave Bialis, senior vice president and general manager of Cox California.

“We’re excited to have more local content on our lineup,” Bialis said. “Today there’s a lot of local news, but this is not just news. It’s what’s going on in our community, sports, entertainment, the military. Our customers know they have many choices, and we’re pleased that U-T TV is launching on Cox.”

U-T San Diego is also in talks with cable companies that serve other areas of the county, and DirectTV, and expects deals with them within the next few months, Lynch said.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The creation of U-T TV marks a key step in the newspaper’s evolution into a full-fledged media company with print, web and broadcast channels.

“What TV allows us to do is amplify our stories,” said Mike Hodges, president and chief operating officer of U-T San Diego. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for all the reporters to go in depth on the topics they are experts in.”

Hotel entrepreneur Douglas F. Manchester bought the newspaper in November, returning it to local hands after more than two years of ownership by a private equity firm. Manchester was joined in the venture by Lynch, who co-founded Noble Broadcast Group and has a long history of owning radio stations.

The new owners quickly launched an iPad app and invested more than $3 million to build a state-of-the-art TV studio.

U-T San Diego will now offer advertisers bundled packages of print, web and television advertising. The television station will utilize a range of revenue sources, including traditional ads, sponsorships and product placement.

Initially, the channel will air 12 hours of live programming per weekday along with weekend shows, which will be rebroadcast at various times.